This invention relates to a process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) in a high yield from a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture containing isobutylene.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for the production of TBA in a high yield by selectively reacting isobutylene in a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixture containing isobutylene with water in the presence of a porous, acid-type cation exchange resin and a sulfone.
Various processes have heretofore been proposed concerning the preparation of alcohols by hydrating corresponding olefinic unsaturated compounds in the presence of an acid-type cation exchange resin and a solvent. For example, there can be mentioned a process in which isobutylene or an isobutylene-containing hydrocarbon mixture is reacted with an aqueous solution of an organic acid in the presence of an acidic ion exchange agent as a catalyst (Japanese Patent Application OPI No. 32116/75 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 14044/78), a process in which a monohydric alcohol is added to the reaction system and the reaction is carried out by using a similar catalyst (Japanese Patent Application OPI No. 137906/75) and a process in which glycol, glycol ether or glycol diether is added to the reaction system and the reaction is similarly carried out (Japanese Patent Application OPI No. 59802/76 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,194).
In addition to these processes for preparing TBA by reacting water with isobutylene, there has been proposed for preparing secondary butyl alcohol (SBA) a method of reacting water with an olefinic unsaturated compound, particularly butene-1 and/or butene-2, in the presence of an acidic ion exchange resin and a sulfone at a temperature of 100.degree. to 220.degree. C. (Japanese Patent Application OPI No. 7605/78 equivalent to British Pat. No. 1,518,461).
These known processes for preparing TBA by hydrating isobutylene have the disadvantage of producing by-products such as addition products of isobutylene and the organic acid or organic solvent added to the reaction system, although the reaction rate is improved to some extent. Since these by-products and added solvents have a boiling point close to or lower than that of TBA, separation and recovery of TBA from these by-products and solvents are very difficult and large operating costs are necessary for recovery of TBA. Although the process for preparing SBA by reacting water with butene-1 and butene-2 at a temperature of 100.degree. to 220.degree. C. shows good stability of the solvent used, it is impossible to produce TBA in a high yield by selectively hydrating isobutylene because isobutylene-bearing C.sub.4 hydrocarbon feed reacts with water and forms isobutylene dimer and SBA cocurrently with the formation of TBA.